The brief three-game interleague series that highlighted the past weekend is now over, and baseball returns to its traditional schedule. There are just eight games on Monday’s schedule, with five games in the National League and three in the American. Most teams are using today as a travel day with a full slate of games scheduled for Tuesday. Now let’s take a look at four of Monday’s main matchups.

**Cubs (Lilly) at Astros (Moehler)**

-Caesars Palace opened Chicago as a $1.30 road ‘chalk’ over Houston, with the total set at 10. This National League Central contest is slated to start at 7:05 p.m. ET.

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-Chicago southpaw Ted Lilly (4-4, 5.33 ERA) is riding a personal three-game winning streak after upending San Diego Wednesday as a $1.20 home favorite, 8-5. The 32-year-old went six innings, yielding four runs on six hits with a walk and 11 strikeouts.

-The combined 13 runs toppled the eight-run closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 2-1 his last three starts.

-Lilly went 1-0 against the Astros last year in two starts, going a combined 14 innings while surrendering four runs on 10 hits with two walks and 12 strikeouts. The Cubs prevailed as a $1.10 home ‘chalk,’ 9-3, while losing as a $1.55 home favorite, 5-3.

-Houston hurler Brian Moehler (1-0, 2.70 ERA) is off Wednesday’s no-decision against San Francisco. The UNC Greensboro product was reached for three runs on eight hits (one home run) with no walks and two strikeouts over five innings.

-The Astros eventually prevailed as a $1.20 road favorite, 6-3, while the combined nine runs landed directly on his closing total. Both of Moehler’s outings this year have occurred on the road, each resulting in wins for Houston.

-The 36-year-old has not started against the Cubs the last few seasons.

**Reds (Arroyo) at Dodgers (Penny)**

-Caesars Palace installed Los Angeles as a $1.55 home favorite over Cincinnati, with the total listed at 8 ½ ‘over’ (minus $1.15). This matchup is scheduled to start at 10:10 p.m. ET.

-Cincinnati pitcher Bronson Arroyo (2-4, 6.08 ERA) picked up a no-decision against Florida Wednesday despite tossing seven scoreless innings. The right-hander allowed five hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

-The Reds eventually prevailed as a $1.35 home ‘chalk,’ 7-6, while the combined 13 runs eclipsed the 9 ½-run closing total. The ‘over/under’ has alternated his last six starts.

-Arroyo went 1-1 against the Dodgers last year in two starts, tossing a combined 12 2/3 innings while being tagged for two runs on 12 hits with four walks and seven strikeouts. The Reds prevailed as a $1.10 home ‘chalk,’ 4-0, while losing as a $1.17 road underdog, 2-0. The ‘under’ prevailed in both contests.

-Los Angeles counters with Brad Penny (5-4, 5.09 ERA) who enters this contest mired in a personal two-game losing skid. The 29-year-old fell to Milwaukee Tuesday as a $1.02 road underdog, 5-3.

-The 6-foot-4 hurler was roughed up for five runs on nine hits (one home run) with a walk and six strikeouts over six innings. The combined eight runs failed to eclipse the nine-run closing total, ending a string of six straight ‘over’ outings for the right-hander.

-Penny beat the Reds April 21 as a $1.35 road favorite, 9-3, going six innings while allowing one run on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts. The combined 12 runs toppled the nine-run closing total.

**Royals (Hochevar) at Red Sox (Lester)**

-Caesars Palace lists Boston as a $1.60 home ‘chalk’ over Kansas City, with the total set at 9 ½ ‘under’ (minus $1.15). This American League matchup is scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. ET.

-Kansas City’s Luke Hochevar (3-2, 3.94 ERA) improved to 3-1 his last four starts after blanking Detroit Wednesday as a $1.23 home underdog, 2-0. The 6-foot-5 hurler tossed six scoreless innings on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

-The two runs never seriously threatened the nine-run closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 4-1 when the right-hander is pitching.

-Hochevar, a two-year veteran, has never started against the Red Sox in his brief major league career.

-Boston left-hander Jon Lester (2-2, 3.95 ERA) has received four no decisions his last five starts after Wednesday’s encounter with Baltimore. The 24-year-old was reached for two runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts over six innings.

-The Red Sox ended up dropping that contest as a $1.20 road favorite, 6-3, while the combined nine runs landed directly on the closing total. The ‘over’ had prevailed his previous two outings.

-Lester, a three-year veteran, has not started against the Royals the past few seasons.

**Rays (Shields) at Athletics (Blanton)**

-Caesars Palace opened Tampa Bay as a $1.25 road favorite over Oakland, with the total set at 7 ½ ‘under’ (minus $1.15). First pitch is slated for 10:05 p.m. ET.

-Tampa Bay hurler James Shields (4-3, 3.05 ERA) heads to the hill for the first time since Wednesday’s setback to New York as a $1.40 home ‘chalk,’ 2-1. The 26-year-old right-hander went 7 1/3 innings, surrendering two runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

-The combined three runs went ‘under’ the 8 ½-run closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 3-1 his last four outings.

-Shields went 2-0 against the Athletics last season in two starts, going a combined 16 1/3 innings while allowing three runs on 13 hits (two home runs) with two walks and 17 strikeouts. The Rays triumphed as a $1.32 road underdog, 4-1, and as a $1.25 home favorite, 12-2.

-Oakland’s Joe Blanton (2-6, 3.69 ERA) dipped to 1-3 his last five starts after falling to Cleveland Wednesday as a $1.45 road underdog, 2-0. The former Kentucky Wildcat pitched seven innings, surrendering both runs on four hits (two home runs) with two walks and four strikeouts.

-The two runs never seriously threatened the eight-run closing total, enabling the ‘under’ to improve to 3-1 his last four outings.

-Blanton went 1-1 against the Rays last year in two starts, tossing a combined 12 1/3 innings while being reached for seven runs on 18 hits (two home runs) with three walks and 11 strikeouts. The Athletics prevailed as a $1.33 road ‘chalk,’ 5-3, while losing as a $1.15 road underdog, 14-3.

Brad Young can be reached for byoung@vegasinsider.com.